Jillian Mackenzie, deputy editor of Allure, told The Daily Telegraph: "In the past it (the ideal age) may have been a little bit younger. Anti-ageing is such a huge topic now and people want to look younger for longer. You see celebrities who are looking amazing into their fifties.

"Across the board the ages for men were quite a bit older than for women and it's interesting that men get an extra four years."

When respondents were asked to use a word to describe grey hair on men the top answer was "distinguished," but for grey hair on women it was "old."

Asked to name celebrities who have aged well, actor George Clooney was by far the top choice among both sexes and all ethnic groups, ahead of Sean Connery, Bill Clinton, and actors Brad Pitt and Richard Gere.

The top choice for women who have aged well was less clear, but actresses Meryl Streep, Jamie Lee Curtis and Julia Roberts all ranked high.

The research showed the average age people start using anti-ageing creams was 37 for both men and women, while 42 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men said they would consider anti-ageing injections or plastic surgery.

Five per cent of those questioned said they had already had plastic surgery or injections such as Botox.